Congratulations, you're average!

You work hard to get that 4.0 GPA, you get every leadership position you can, you volunteer, do an internship, work as a CNA, and let your people skills shine, go you! But when it comes time to apply to that residency at a teaching hospital, congrats! You are completely and totally average!

It really feels like applying to an Ivy League school. You can check all the boxes, but when you're up against people with the same qualifications as you, it's a crap shoot. Obviously the answer here is to network your butt off, but as someone who wants to move across the country, that can be a real challenge.

Ok, my rant is over. Thanks for listening!

In some cases, I think "shining" too much can almost work against you. Managers want new graduates who are intelligent and competent, but they also want people who are malleable. A new graduate resume should show that you take direction along with highlighting your leadership capabilities.

Good luck in your search. Where you're trying to move to will undoubtedly make your search much easier or much harder.

Thanks, Sour Lemon. I totally agree--being teachable is key. I'm actually totally faking it til I make it in terms of the leadership stuff. I'm naturally a soft-spoken, "take the backseat" kinda person, so I don't think coming off as too confident is going to be a problem, but it's definitely a good point and something to keep in mind.